I'm getting the sense that some lower-level Syrian commander was tired of his guys getting hit by snipers in areas they'd shelled really hard, and decided, "Hey, I've got these sarin shells, let's use 'em!" I can't imagine the decision was made at the top.

There's also a question of how much conventional ammo the Syrian army has left. They've resorted to dropping land mines from helicopters, so they may be shooting chemical weapons because they're short on HE.

mbillips:I'm getting the sense that some lower-level Syrian commander was tired of his guys getting hit by snipers in areas they'd shelled really hard, and decided, "Hey, I've got these sarin shells, let's use 'em!" I can't imagine the decision was made at the top.

There's also a question of how much conventional ammo the Syrian army has left. They've resorted to dropping land mines from helicopters, so they may be shooting chemical weapons because they're short on HE.

I don't think so. Military forces usually keep very close tabs on these kind of "special weapons". I can't imagine them being released and used without permission. Especially since in this case they've already been warned a couple of times.

mbillips:I'm getting the sense that some lower-level Syrian commander was tired of his guys getting hit by snipers in areas they'd shelled really hard, and decided, "Hey, I've got these sarin shells, let's use 'em!" I can't imagine the decision was made at the top.

There's also a question of how much conventional ammo the Syrian army has left. They've resorted to dropping land mines from helicopters, so they may be shooting chemical weapons because they're short on HE.

Neither is a really good excuse is it? I mean that the fark are they doing with them in the first place? And where did they come from? Some people say they are from Iraq, some say they are from Iran what are the odds the Syrians made them?

I find myself hoping that the chemical analysis shows the sarin to have come from outside Syria, pointing to a non-gov't attack, meaning some rebel faction is happily gassing kids to garner sympathy... because it's the only way I can see the US refraining from diving headlong into yet another unwinnable mideast conflict.What a depressing state of affairs that is.

The Stealth Hippopotamus:mbillips: I'm getting the sense that some lower-level Syrian commander was tired of his guys getting hit by snipers in areas they'd shelled really hard, and decided, "Hey, I've got these sarin shells, let's use 'em!" I can't imagine the decision was made at the top.

There's also a question of how much conventional ammo the Syrian army has left. They've resorted to dropping land mines from helicopters, so they may be shooting chemical weapons because they're short on HE.

Neither is a really good excuse is it? I mean that the fark are they doing with them in the first place? And where did they come from? Some people say they are from Iraq, some say they are from Iran what are the odds the Syrians made them?

The odds are very good that Syria makes them. Syria has a small, homegrown arms industry, and manufacturing sarin is something that a few Japanese religious fanatics managed. They have them because they're a non-signatory to the international treaty banning them, because they make very effective battlefield weapons. They originally got them from the Soviets.

ArkPanda:mbillips: I'm getting the sense that some lower-level Syrian commander was tired of his guys getting hit by snipers in areas they'd shelled really hard, and decided, "Hey, I've got these sarin shells, let's use 'em!" I can't imagine the decision was made at the top.

There's also a question of how much conventional ammo the Syrian army has left. They've resorted to dropping land mines from helicopters, so they may be shooting chemical weapons because they're short on HE.

I don't think so. Military forces usually keep very close tabs on these kind of "special weapons". I can't imagine them being released and used without permission. Especially since in this case they've already been warned a couple of times.

WESTERN military forces do that. I'm not talking about a company commander, I'm talking about a brigadier or a divisional commander, who would have the authority to use any assets he has. I'm just trying to explain why Assad and his cabinet would authorize something like this, when they're winning and they want to avoid international interference. It makes sense only if someone overstepped his authority at a lower level for tactical reasons.

mbillips:ArkPanda: mbillips: I'm getting the sense that some lower-level Syrian commander was tired of his guys getting hit by snipers in areas they'd shelled really hard, and decided, "Hey, I've got these sarin shells, let's use 'em!" I can't imagine the decision was made at the top.

There's also a question of how much conventional ammo the Syrian army has left. They've resorted to dropping land mines from helicopters, so they may be shooting chemical weapons because they're short on HE.

I don't think so. Military forces usually keep very close tabs on these kind of "special weapons". I can't imagine them being released and used without permission. Especially since in this case they've already been warned a couple of times.

WESTERN military forces do that. I'm not talking about a company commander, I'm talking about a brigadier or a divisional commander, who would have the authority to use any assets he has. I'm just trying to explain why Assad and his cabinet would authorize something like this, when they're winning and they want to avoid international interference. It makes sense only if someone overstepped his authority at a lower level for tactical reasons.

IIRC Soviet forces had very tight controls on those kinds of things too. Of course the Syrian military may have degraded to the point where they're not even on the Soviet model anymore. Regardless I can't imagine any field commander using chemical weapons without clearance from the top. A general who decided to do something like that on his own would have to be aware of the strategic consequences of it.

FTA: Nesirky said one of the cars used by the team was "no longer serviceable" after the shooting, forcing the team to return to a government checkpoint to replace the vehicle.

That sounds pretty real to me. If someone shoots your car up to the point where you can't use it, I'd say that counts as getting shot at. As opposed to being 'somewhere near some people who are shooting'.

mbillips:ArkPanda: mbillips: I'm getting the sense that some lower-level Syrian commander was tired of his guys getting hit by snipers in areas they'd shelled really hard, and decided, "Hey, I've got these sarin shells, let's use 'em!" I can't imagine the decision was made at the top.

There's also a question of how much conventional ammo the Syrian army has left. They've resorted to dropping land mines from helicopters, so they may be shooting chemical weapons because they're short on HE.

I don't think so. Military forces usually keep very close tabs on these kind of "special weapons". I can't imagine them being released and used without permission. Especially since in this case they've already been warned a couple of times.

WESTERN military forces do that. I'm not talking about a company commander, I'm talking about a brigadierbrigade or a divisional division commander, who would have the authority to use any assets he has. I'm just trying to explain why Assad and his cabinet would authorize something like this, when they're winning and they want to avoid international interference. It makes sense only if someone overstepped his authority at a lower level for tactical reasons.

ManicParroT:FTA: Nesirky said one of the cars used by the team was "no longer serviceable" after the shooting, forcing the team to return to a government checkpoint to replace the vehicle.

That sounds pretty real to me. If someone shoots your car up to the point where you can't use it, I'd say that counts as getting shot at. As opposed to being 'somewhere near some people who are shooting'.

Reports say that the chemical weapons arrived on homemade rockets, hardly something the Syrian government would use. Besides that, the Syrian government has no real reason to use them, since they're winning.

Most likely it's the rebels or some third party that initiated the incident. However, who did it really doesn't matter much who did it, since the US is starting to get involved.

I mean come on, the US still has little idea about Benghazi, and it concludes (with no evidence) that the attack was done by the Syrian govt?

"On Saturday, Cyber War News released a cache of e-mails allegedly hacked by someone in Malaysia from a British private defense contractor called Britam Defence.

"One of the e-mails contains a discussion between Britam's Business Development Director David Goulding and Philip Doughty, company founder. In the exchange, it's revealed that there is a plan to unleash chemical weapons in Syria in order to blame it on the Bashar Al Assad regime to justify a direct intervention by U.S. and NATO forces in the country's civil war. The plan, thought up by the government of Qatar according to the e-mail, is "approved by Washington."

END QUOTE

It goes on.

Make of it what you will, but considering the date - January 28, 2013, it would appear to be: A) A stunning coincidence; B) A modern day prophecy, or ; C) Evidence that a CW false flag op had been in the works for some time

"On Saturday, Cyber War News released a cache of e-mails allegedly hacked by someone in Malaysia from a British private defense contractor called Britam Defence.

"One of the e-mails contains a discussion between Britam's Business Development Director David Goulding and Philip Doughty, company founder. In the exchange, it's revealed that there is a plan to unleash chemical weapons in Syria in order to blame it on the Bashar Al Assad regime to justify a direct intervention by U.S. and NATO forces in the country's civil war. The plan, thought up by the government of Qatar according to the e-mail, is "approved by Washington."

END QUOTE

It goes on.

Make of it what you will, but considering the date - January 28, 2013, it would appear to be: A) A stunning coincidence; B) A modern day prophecy, or ; C) Evidence that a CW false flag op had been in the works for some time

The emails that you are referring to were shown to be forgeries - the email headers were cut and pasted

"On Saturday, Cyber War News released a cache of e-mails allegedly hacked by someone in Malaysia from a British private defense contractor called Britam Defence.

"One of the e-mails contains a discussion between Britam's Business Development Director David Goulding and Philip Doughty, company founder. In the exchange, it's revealed that there is a plan to unleash chemical weapons in Syria in order to blame it on the Bashar Al Assad regime to justify a direct intervention by U.S. and NATO forces in the country's civil war. The plan, thought up by the government of Qatar according to the e-mail, is "approved by Washington."

END QUOTE

It goes on.

Make of it what you will, but considering the date - January 28, 2013, it would appear to be: A) A stunning coincidence; B) A modern day prophecy, or ; C) Evidence that a CW false flag op had been in the works for some time

The emails that you are referring to were shown to be forgeries - the email headers were cut and pasted